If the kitchen seems intimidating, never fear: We have some easy ways to get you back behind the stove and cooking up a storm in no time. There are so many benefits to cooking, among them, more control over what is in your food, greater personal satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment, and saving some serious cash. Howstuffworks.com estimates that you can save $1,500 a year if you make your own lunch and bring it to work. So get cooking and then take that extra moolah and go on vacation!
Here’s how to get started:
MAKE LUNCH IN BULK
Cue meal prep Sunday. You can’t go wrong with Fit Men Cook’s $75, 5 day meal prep as it not only outlines your grocery list, gives you multiple meal options and step-by-step instructions but also saves you cash and keeps you fed all week. Also, for the salad lovers, mason jar salads are satisfyingly easy to prep in advance.
MAKE BREAKFAST FAST & EASY
Lindsey, blogger of of The Lean Green Bean has some scrumptiously delicious grab n’ go breakfast recipes. Make batches of her quinoa breakfast bars, sweet protein cookies, reheatable green smoothie pancakes and cranberry sweet potato cottage cheese muffins to kickstart your mornings.
HEALTHY SNACKS
Skip the packaged bar food and try our easy-to-prep no bake granola bars, dorito chickpeas or wasabi cashews. No doubt, these noms will keep you satisfied throughout the day!
HELPFUL TOOLS
For helpful products to ease you through the prepping process, consider Kelsey Nixon’s 20-Piece Prep & Store or collapsible silicone storage set.
QUICK WEEKNIGHT MEALS
Check out 15-second recipes on Video Meals for simple and achievable meals with ingredients you probably have on hand.
SLOW COOKER MEALS
Slow cooker meals are effortless and worry-free. Throw your ingredients in the morning, leave for work and come back to a ready and warm meal. The blog Sweet Peas and Saffron gives you multiple options of healthy and hearty stew options.
Cooking is the most effective way to avoid processed foods so turn up the heat in the kitchen with these quick and satisfying meals and bring healthy home (and to work) in 2017.
